(Rounder) After a successful run with a limited release of The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, multi-talented Grammy and Emmy winning actor/comedian/musician and bestselling author Steve Martin will release the album on Rounder Records on May 19, 2009. Originally released exclusively through Amazon.com on January 27, The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo reached #1 on Billboard’s Top Bluegrass Albums chart, #7 on Billboard’s Top Internet Albums chart, #38 on Billboard’s Top Independent Albums chart and reached #2 on Amazon’s Top Music Sellers. All of the songs on The Crow were written by Martin.
The Rounder release will feature an instrumental version of “Calico Train” as a bonus track that was not on the Amazon version. Rounder will also release a deluxe version of The Crow: New Songs for the Five-String Banjo, with several additional tracks and special pop-up artwork, the details of which will be announced shortly.
Martin will make his Grand Ole Opry debut on May 30. Lifelong friend John McEuen (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band) who produced the album and assembled an all-star cast to record with Martin, will appear on the show along with Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Stuart Duncan, Tim O’Brien and more. The artists will be performing select songs from The Crow album, and Martin will sing his composition “Late for School.” The only other time Steve performed this song live was when he hosted Saturday Night Live for the 15th record-breaking time on January 31, 2009.
